Lake Outlook: March 25, 2010

Thursday

Mar 25, 2010 at 2:00 AM

AGATE - The lake is full and stable. Look for rainbow trout and bass fishing both to improve with warmer weather. Crappie are starting to be found off submerged bushes in the far upper end of the reservoir. Slow trolling of Wedding Ring lures spiked with small pieces of worm have worked for trout in the lower section. Electric motors are legal, but gas motors are banned.

AGATE - The lake is full and stable. Look for rainbow trout and bass fishing both to improve with warmer weather. Crappie are starting to be found off submerged bushes in the far upper end of the reservoir. Slow trolling of Wedding Ring lures spiked with small pieces of worm have worked for trout in the lower section. Electric motors are legal, but gas motors are banned.

APPLEGATE - Wind-drifting nymph flies from boats has been good for rainbow trout, while trolling Triple Teasers off points has produced trout. Water levels are starting to climb and the Hart-Tish boat ramp is now open weekends, with a $2 launch fee or a season pass. Bass fishing remains somewhat slow. The lake was 48 feet from full Wednesday, up two feet in the past week

EMIGRANT - Trout fishing has picked up after 3,500 rainbows were stocked last week at the county park boat ramp. Fishing should be good through the week on worms, PowerBait and small spinners. The lake is up to 69 percent full.

A standing public-health advisory continues about eating all but trout from the lake because of elevated mercury levels.

EXPO - The pond received 1,400 rainbow trout last week, and they have been aggressively hitting PowerBait, worms and single salmon eggs. A few lunkers remain from last month's stocking.

LOST CREEK - Trout fishing is good upstream of Peyton Bridge and near the base of the dam, with last year's legal-sized trout now coming in just over 16 inches long. Another 25,000 legal-sized rainbow were stocked last week, roughly split between the marina ramp and the Takelma ramp near the dam. Trolling with Tasmanian Devils or Wedding Ring lures spiced with a worm are good bets. Bank fish with PowerBait. The lake is now 30 feet from full. The surface temperature shot up to 50 degrees this week, and that should get the smallmouth bass active.

FISH - Most of the lake is ice free, and boaters are starting to launch. Boaters using woolly bugger flies have done well for rainbows around 16 inches long. Fishing from the bank is fair to good for rainbow and brook trout. PowerBait is the top choice, but trolling Needlefish or Triple Teasers should work.

SELMAC - The lake was stocked with 5,000 legal-sized trout last week. Fish them with PowerBait, worms or single salmon eggs on small hooks.

WILLOW - The lake was stocked last week with legal-sized trout, and fishing for them is good with worms, Panther Martin lures and woolly bugger flies.

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